Taxi driver who overcharged returning OFW arrested

MANILA, Philippines — A taxi driver was arrested by police on Tuesday afternoon in Pasay City after he and his cab “barker” and cohort coerced a visiting overseas Filipino worker (OFW), who had just arrived from Hong Kong, into paying an expensive fare for a short ride.

Jaime Naval, 44, was nabbed by authorities after he and his companion, who was able to run away, intimidated and overcharged Mona Liza Dy, 38, an OFW who rode Naval’s cab from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) Terminal 2 at around 2 p.m.

Senior Police Officer 1 Faustino Erlano Jr., said that Dy, instead of riding the yellow taxis queued at the arrival bay of the airport, decided to ride a white taxi at the departure area to save some money for her fare. Dy told the police that she had just come home from a 3-month working stay in Hong Kong where she was not able to finish her contract and was not able to save any money.

In her statement to the police, the victim said a man, who was calling taxi passengers from the departure bay, offered to help her with her things and loaded them into a taxi marked ‘Donamil’ with plate No. TXY 858. The man told her that she would just pay what would register on the meter.

To the victim’s surprise, the “barker” sat on the front passenger seat of the cab and claimed that he would just hitch a ride to a nearby destination.

While on their way to a Victory Liner bus terminal along Edsa in the same city, Naval and the man, only identified by Naval as alias “Hapon,” demanded from Dy P1,200 for her fare and asserted that it was the usual rate charged for passengers going to the area.

The victim was hesitant at first but finally agreed to the terms by the two men who repeatedly compelled her to pay the amount.

Upon arrival at the bus terminal, Dy handed the P1,200 to the driver but also lectured the two men about their illegal activity.

Benjie Siniming, a security guard at the terminal, noticed the verbal exchange between the victim and the driver so he approached to intervene. Siniming told the authorities that the taxi sped away before he could even ask what was wrong.

However, the guard, driving a company car, was able to corner the taxicab near the Heritage Hotel.

Siniming got hold of the driver but was not able to chase his accomplice who fled on foot towards Roxas Boulevard.

Police officer Erlano warned returning Filipino workers that this has become a common scam at the airport terminal which has been targeting foreigners and OFWs. He said most cases were not reported to the police because victims just charged the unpleasant incidents to experience.